Now Todomal does not make easy music, but that shouldn’t scare off any true lovers of true epic doom. The songs are long, drawn out and very focused on the storytelling aspect of their music. Both the slow buildup and the vocals recall the way the Cavanaugh brothers and by extension Pink Floyd would arrange their songs. If mid era Anathema, around the time of ‘Eternity’, ‘Alternative Four’ and ‘Judgement’ was your thing, but you wished they had retained a bit more of their doom metal core au lieu of the pure prog, then you genuinely might want to spend some quality time with these songs.

The cover artwork this time is a bit less bizarre compared to the previous record, unless you’ve come across many metal records that depict a catfight between two rabbits. In that case I take it all back. And yes, I did get the reference from ‘Watership Down’, I do read or at least watch cartoons with a Simon & Garfunkel song. That being said, we are nevertheless again treated again with a beautiful painting that perfectly fits the mood of the record, just a bit less off kilter and confounding.

Back to the music, ‘Mare Ignis’ sets you off on your journey in a very cinematic way, sounding almost like a piece from Vangelis, but with guitars. The vocal interplay, in particular, between the two male vocalists and the female backings drive this opening song forward and keep it from being no more than a non-committing intro. In case you had not noticed it, from the very first notes, you need to sit down and listen to this record. Let it slowly envelop you. This is not exactly the kind of album that will have you pumping your fists in the air, but rather you want to listen to with your headphones on and a glass of red wine in your hand.

‘Lucid Nightmare’ is rather laid-back prog rock than anything resembling doom metal, but that’s perfectly fine. ‘Point of Coalescence’ is the first single of the record for which they’ve made a music video and it kicks significantly harder with some wondrous lead guitar work, coming quite close to what we would expect from say Funeral, for instance.

‘Misericordiah’ isn’t quite as miserable as one might has expected, but sooner a melancholic interlude with some acoustic Spanish guitar overlaid with contemplative musings. As a counterpoint ‘Unholy’ is one of the more uptempo tracks on display here with a modern proggy vibe that would not feel totally out of place on a Leprous record, not in the least of course since both bands sport such a versatile vocalist. The slow-burning ‘Deliverance’ once more injects some moody Spanish guitar before it morphs into an apocalyptic folk piece with lush keys.

‘Humanised Gods’ throws a bit of a curveball here, not really being a doom track, but having much more of a gothic rock vibe. ‘For Mercy’ gently asks some more attention from the listener, before the title track hammers the last nail in the coffin of this record.

They’ll be touring this summer as a full live band throughout Europe alongside one of my all-time favourite Evoken with a stopover in Belgium in Hell Diest on August 1, so be sure to catch both of them there. You will not be disappointed.

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